Inland Ringtail (Austrolestes aridus)

The Inland Ringtail (Austrolestes aridus) is a damselfly species of the family Lestidae, which contains 14 species in Australia.

The identification key to the family Lestidae consists of 15 couplets, 5 of which are pertinent to Austrolestes aridus. Click on the numbers on the right to display the corresponding couplets. Or click on the ALLin1 button to see all the relevant couplets together in a single, scrollable window.

#

Family

Species

Couplet No.

Lestidae

Inland Ringtail(Austrolestes aridus)

Lestidae: Key couplet 1 of 15

● Quadrilateral cell of hindwing more than 1.15 times, usually 1.3-1.5 times longer than that of forewing

b ↑

Lestidae: Key couplet 2 of 15

● Front of synthorax unicolorous or striped, the stripe not expanded near centre● Ac generally near Ax1, basal or distal, occasionally almost midway between Ax1 and Ax2

⇒ genus: Austrolestes

b ↑

Lestidae: Key couplet 5 of 15

● Central part of pterostigma overlying one or more crossveins of adjoining row● Ac closer to level of Ax1 than of Ax2, sometimes basal to Ax1○ Abdominal tergum 2 with well-defined light and dark pattern, sometimes like that of dark A. insularis (see above), or substantially dark

b ↑

Lestidae: Key couplet 6 of 15

● Pale humeral stripe broad, its upper end crossing mesopleural suture on to mesepimeron and subalar ridge almost to segmental junction

Lestidae: Key couplet 1 of 15

● Quadrilateral cells of forewing and hindwing similar in size and shape, that of hindwing less than 1.10 times length of forewing quadrilateral

⇒ species: Dusky Spreadwing (Lestes concinnus)

a ↑b ↓

● Quadrilateral cell of hindwing more than 1.15 times, usually 1.3-1.5 times longer than that of forewing

2

Lestidae: Key couplet 2 of 15

● Front of synthorax marked with vertical, metallic green stripe on each side, expanded laterally near centre to form brownish green or green spot● Ac approximately midway between Ax1 and Ax2 in forewing, often nearer to Ax2

⇒ genus: Indolestes

a ↑b ↓

● Front of synthorax unicolorous or striped, the stripe not expanded near centre● Ac generally near Ax1, basal or distal, occasionally almost midway between Ax1 and Ax2

⇒ genus: Austrolestes

3

Lestidae: Key couplet 5 of 15

● Pterostigma overlying crossveins of adjoining row only near each end● Ac far beyond level of Ax1, generally about midway between Ax1 and Ax2● Abdominal tergum 2 marked with dark longitudinal stripe on each side of pale midline, or with ill-defined marks on pale background

⇒ species: Northern Ringtail (Austrolestes insularis)

a ↑b ↓

● Central part of pterostigma overlying one or more crossveins of adjoining row● Ac closer to level of Ax1 than of Ax2, sometimes basal to Ax1○ Abdominal tergum 2 with well-defined light and dark pattern, sometimes like that of dark A. insularis (see above), or substantially dark

4

Lestidae: Key couplet 6 of 15

● Pale humeral stripe broad, its upper end crossing mesopleural suture on to mesepimeron and subalar ridge almost to segmental junction

a ↑b ↓

● Pale humeral stripe narrow, with at most a small upper patch extending across mesopleural suture, not meeting subalar ridge